Y'know what? I sat down and recalled what I did when I started the car back up... and the AC was used to defrost the windows at idle for a minute, then I took off...

But the whine didn't sound any different with the AC on or off (Though, truth be told... I couldn't tell if the whine was still there over the AC system)... first thing I checked when I was driving...

I seriously hate AC on all but the most unbearable of days...